Water sled



March 15, 1966 N. s. BECK 3,239,858

WATER SLED Filed Dec. 16, 1963 NEVITT s. BECK INVENTOR United StatesPatent 3,239,858 WATER SLED Nevitt S. Beck, Minerva, @hio (19174Meredith, Euclid, Ohio 44119) Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,783Claims. (Cl. 9-610) This invention relates to sea sleds, a device to beused on water and towed behind a power-boat, with the user eitherstanding on the sled or in a sitting position, thus differing from waterskis, which are intended to be used when the rider is in a standingposition.

In the drawings herewith,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sled with an end of a towrope attachedthereto;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section somewhat similar to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view;

FIG. 5 shows the rudder separated from the sled;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section through the rudder pivot;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, with a modified float.

The body of the sled is preferably formed from a sheet of suitablemetal, Fiberglass, or a material not easily distorted. Its generalappearance resembles a piece sawed straight off from a sphere, that is,bowl-shaped on the bottom and straight across the top. The upper edge isenlarged to add strength, and therefore is shown as heavier. In thisedge two handholds 12 are provided, and midway between these a notch 14provides notch sides adapted to hold a towrope T.

If the sled were towed without steering control it would movederratically. A rudder 16 is press-fitted on a pivot 17 that may turnfreely in an opening in the body 10, and a knob 25 frictionally mountedon the pivot and pressed down, holds a plate 20 clear of the body andpermits it to be rotated by the users foot, and the rudder 16 with it. Aseat member 24 limits the are covered by the rudder. The rudder whenmoving with the sled, presents only an edge to the water as it moves,but this gives firm control. The sled is so small and light that arudder of the conventional type would slew the sled violently and bedangerous.

The users feet upon plate 20 are protected from slippage by flutes orgrooves in the plate, to afford firmer grip, so that only a slighteffort is required to move the rudder in use.

A manually-removable knob 25, having a roughened surface is pressed downon the pivot 17, and may also be lifted to release the rudder, so notools are required.

FIG. 7 shows a modified type of seat, which may be made of balsa wood ormay be molded from a floatable material such as is marketed under thetrade name of Styrofoam, which is very light and can be squeezed dry.Such a seat improves comfort in use.

The exact contours of the sled may be varied from those hereillustrated, and the whole sled may be modified in particulars, to bewithin the terminology of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A water sled comprising, in combination, a concave body of a shapesimulating a section of a spherical body and provided with suitableconnections for a tow line, handholds for a user, a pivot extendingthrough the body,

3,239,858 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 a rudder below the body, and attachedto the pivot, and a footplate also attached to the pivot, so that theuser, blydmoving the footplate may control the steering of the s e 2. Awater sled comprising, in combination, a concave body having a shapesimulating a section of a spherical body and having handholds and atowing line cleat, a footplate within the body and a rudder outside thebody, a pivot extending through the body and connected to the footplateand the rudder whereby a movement of the footplate also moves therudder, and a seat for the operator.

3. A water sled comprising, in combination, a concave body of a shapesimulating a section of a spherical body and with handholds and towingcleats, a rudder under the body and a footplate within the body, a pivotextending through the bottom of the body and fixed to both the rudderand the footplate, whereby a foot movement of the footplate moves therudder accordingly, and a seat located to permit the operators foot tomove the plate as aforesaid.

4. A water sled of a shape similating a section of a spherical body andhaving towing cleats and handholds for the operator, a pivot extendingthrough the bottom of the body and freely revolvable therein, a rudderfixed to the pivot and to a footplate so that a movement of the platewill also move the rudder accordingly, a seat for an operator and meansfor limiting the movement of the rudder.

5. A normally towrope pulled water sled having:

a main body which simulates a section of a spherical body,

said main body having an upper edge which, in turn,

has a notch for releasably engaging a knotted towrope and therebydefining the front of said sled,

a pivotal shaft extending through the center of said main body,

a movable footplate located within said body and attached to said shaftfor rotating the same, said footplate being normally toward the front ofthe sled,

a rudder located below said body and afiixed to said shaft so as torotate with rotation of footplate and shaft, and

a seat, which is located to the rear of the shaft, and which seat issecured to said body interiorly thereof and extends thereabove, toprovide elevation for the hips of a rider, to provide advantageousleverage for operating said footplate, to provide maximal com.- fort forthe rider, and to provide desirable front end uptilt of said sled, andthus to provide hydrodynamic advantages and also provide better balanceof forces, as between riders weight and towrope pull, than wouldotherwise be provided.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1958 Erickson9-310 X 7/1962 Smith 9-31O 7/1963 Holcomb 2802l FERGUS S. MIDDLETON,Examiner.

1. A WATER SLED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CONCAVE BODY OF A SHAPESIMULATING A SECTION OF A SPHERICAL BODY AND PROVIDED WITH SUITABLECONNECTIONS FOR A TOW LINE, HANDHOLDS FOR A USER, A PIVOT EXTENDINGTHROUGH THE BODY, A RUDDER BELOW THE BODY, AND ATTACHED TO THE PIVOT,AND A FOOTPLATE ALSO ATTACHED TO THE PIVOT, SO THAT THE USER, BY MOVINGTHE FOOTPLATE MAY CONTROL THE STEERING OF THE SLED.